We believe good food can change your day if not your life

Our Gelato

Shy Guy Gelato was founded by a local Vermonter who worked in restaurants in Italy. Gelato became his passion and he’s devoted a lot of time to perfecting his technique.

Shy Guy is inspired by community and delicious ingredients. Whether a customer suggests a great new flavor or we discover a fruit in season at the Farmers Market, the gelato we make reflects what is great about Vermont.

“I first found Shy Guy because I was looking for real, locally made, small batch ice cream in the Burlington area. I tried one of the very first pints of gelato that Shy Guy ever sold, and I was instantly blown away.

The flavor of their gelato is amazingly fresh and pure. I did not realize how artificial most other ice cream tasted until I started to get gelato from Shy Guy. Several flavors I had never liked much before have become my favorites (especially the mint and hazelnut).

They make traditionally bold flavors subtle and mild flavors rich in a way that makes me think, “why doesn’t everyone make it this way?”. After watching the gelato being made, I realized it was because Shy Guy puts in the care and effort to buy fresh, local ingredients and prepare everything by hand. The results are spectacular.

They have no fear of experimenting with new ideas and suggestions. They seem to approach every new flavor with confidence that if it is made well, any food can become a tasty sorbet or gelato. Thus far they have succeeded every time. ”

– Adam Petchers

The Shy Guys

Paul Sansone

Paul’s love and passion for food started at a very young age growing up in an Italian family. His earliest food memories were picking fresh veggies out of the garden with his brother while his parents were cooking dinner. After years of restaurant work Paul’s love for the sense of family and community that food can create is what provoked him to go to Italy and learn more about his heritage and the simplicity of real Italian food. While working abroad Paul had the fortune of working for a few really amazing chefs who produced southern Italian Gelato. Upon returning to Vermont and looking for a business partner with the same level of passion for food and community, Paul and Tim teamed up and Shy Guy Gelato was born.

Tim Elliott

Tim has always championed simple, high quality food. His his inspirational teenage years homesteading and his broad restaurant experience led to the start of the successful Stone Soup restaurant in 1997. He has been leading Burlington Vermont’s farm to table movement providing the community with food created from regional crops. He has found new inspiration partnering with Paul Sansone to create Shy Guy Gelato. Tim is excited to set the new standard for frozen desserts in Burlington VT.

The Panda

The symbolic meaning of the panda is to remind us to slow down in our busy lives, stop the constant multi tasking, put down your phone and find comfort in the simple pleasures of life.